SWNOVELXO Chapter 344
Chapter 345. River of Blood, Mountain of Screams (8)
A Transcendent Being’s body isn’t weak enough to be knocked out by a mere hit to the head with a vase.
However, Endymion felt humiliated. The dampness he felt on the crown of his head. The droplets of water trickling down his jawline.
Above all, he couldn’t believe he had been tricked by a lie and ambushed.
‘Wait, I was ambushed?’
When describing what kind of creature a dragon is, the elves say, “In the beginning, there was the dragon, before pride.”
Dragons are extremely prideful. They neither lie nor ambush.
Yet, the Keter before him had done both.
‘I was fooled by Keter’s lie because I believed dragons don’t lie.’
In other words, the Keter before him was not a dragon. That was Endymion’s conclusion.
“Your eyes suddenly turned sharp. Not gonna fight?”
Keter wiggled his fingers provocatively, but Endymion shook his head.
“I’ve realized you’re not a dragon. So, there’s no reason for me to fight you.”
“Just a moment ago, you wanted to fight, and now you don’t. Elves are so hard to read.”
Keter clenched and unclenched his fist in frustration. Daat, standing beside him, pointed at Endymion and said,
“Brother. It seems like you haven’t even introduced yourselves, but this is Elder Endymion of Sephira. He calls himself the guardian of Sephira.”
“Elder? Guardian? No wonder Sephira has been safe without a Prime. So, you’ve been hiding all this time, and now you show up. Why?”
“I didn’t hear that part either.”
The atmosphere naturally shifted to Endymion needing to answer. After a moment of contemplation, Endymion spoke.
“I couldn’t reveal myself due to Lilian’s threats. But she has disappeared, and the lords are also in conflict. I saw no reason not to step forward.”
“Hmm, a lot seems to be left out, but I get the gist.”
“Now, I have a question for you. Have you… reached the realm of 8 stars?”
The realm beyond 7-star Prime, the 8-star Irregular. It’s a realm even Endymion hasn’t achieved. One can get infinitely close, but never quite reach it.
Keter answered immediately.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger, but I don’t feel like I’m at 8 stars. I’ve seen a real 8-star, so I know for sure.”
King Kwonseong Kron. He was a true 8-star Irregular, and from Keter’s perspective, who had faced him, he was still far from matching King Kwonseong.
Endymion also nodded.
“I don’t think you’re at 8 stars either. But, your body… if you’ve absorbed a dragon’s heart, you should be able to use Ain Soph without issue.”
Endymion pointed at Keter’s chest. Keter’s once grotesque chest had transformed into that of an ordinary human, but the heart beating within was unmistakably that of a dragon.
Moreover, the awkward shoulder from the transplanted arm of Lord Eslow had now fully assimilated into Keter.
Keter stroked his chest and muttered.
“Now I can feel the power of my lineage.”
He had absorbed a dragon’s heart and even taken the arm of Lord Eslow. It wasn’t just a simple chimera surgery.
Weaponization.
He had used Eslow’s authority of Weaponization with the authority of ‘Reverse’ to attach it.
‘Since a prosthetic arm also falls under the category of a weapon.’
In other words, Keter’s right arm was now a weapon forged from Lord Eslow.
But that’s not all. The street techniques Keter had honed since childhood.
Survival of the fittest.
He grows stronger every time he survives a life-threatening situation.
Keter had fought Eslow and survived, and he had also fought and won against the dragon Paratool in the mental world.
Transcendent growth. Keter had grown so rapidly that he could momentarily overwhelm Endymion, who was on par with a lord.
Yet, he hadn’t reached 8 stars. The wall to 8 stars was as endless as the universe.
But Keter wasn’t disappointed.
‘If it were that easy, my past self would have achieved it.’
Moreover, unlike his past life, he now had an answer. Endymion’s use of ‘Ain Soph.’ After seeing and feeling it once, he had a rough idea.
‘With Eslow’s arm assisting and the dragon’s heart guiding me.’
But then a question arose.
‘Why didn’t Eslow and Dayal use Ain Soph?’
They clearly could have, but they only used Ain and not Ain Soph.
‘I’ll figure that out later.’
Keter looked at Maknun.
“Maknun. What’s the situation in Sephira now?”
“After Eslow disappeared, two prestigious families from the south allied and declared war. That was four days ago. Now, it’s a situation where a full-scale war could break out at any moment.”
“Is that so? Then let’s take care of them first.”
“Shall we?”
As Keter and Daat spoke as if they were clearing snow piled up in front of their house, Endymion stopped them.
“Wait. I know you’ve gotten stronger, but know your enemy’s strength before you fight. They have at least three Primes.”
“Really, I want to respect you because of your age and position as an elder, but if you’re this timid, I can’t.”
“Sephira has been strategizing day and night to minimize casualties. Are you planning to render all that effort meaningless?”
“I wasn’t part of that strategy, was I?”
“…!”
“Elder. I’m very angry right now. I clearly said during the Southern Sword Tournament that archery is superior to swordsmanship.”
Swoosh.
Keter summoned Amaranth for the first time in a while and held it in his hand, a cruel smile on his face.
“This time, I’ll make sure they understand.”
*
The southern territory of the Lilian Kingdom was split into two. The territory of Sephira and the territory of the Swordsmanship Noble Families Alliance.
Swordsmanship Noble Family Garcia.
Swordsmanship Noble Family Ruvan.
Along with other forces supporting the Second Prince, they had taken over half of the south.
And now, to conquer Sephira, they had mobilized tens of thousands of elite troops and were facing off on the front lines.
Allied Forces Command Tent.
The heads of the two families, knight commanders, generals, and strategists had gathered in one place.
“What’s the status of Sephira’s movements?”
Daul Garcia, head of the Swordsmanship Noble Family Garcia Marquisate. He wore the insignia symbolizing the supreme commander.
In response to his question, the head strategist answered.
“It seems they’ve chosen a defensive strategy. As they did against the Kingdom Army before, they’ll likely use their unique advantages in defense while employing a hit-and-run strategy using cavalry.”
“Any unusual movements?”
“We’re keeping a close watch, but nothing so far.”
“Don’t let your guard down for even a second. Sephira is skilled in deception. Baydant and the Kingdom Army fell for it.”
“We’ll keep that in mind.”
Daul looked at the deputy commander, Vice Commander Crays of the Ruvan Marquisate, sitting right in front of him.
“Deputy Commander. Are the tunnels ready?”
Vice Commander Crays smirked.
“Digging a tunnel in just four days is impossible for anyone. But the Ruvan Marquisate has dwarves skilled in tunneling. Preparations were completed yesterday. A tunnel leading from here to near Sephira’s city walls is ready.”
The allied forces had waited four days after gathering their army, all as a smokescreen. To hide their troops using the tunnels!
In other words, Sephira is currently mistaken. The allied forces’ army is 1.5 times larger than they think.
Moreover, what the allied forces had prepared wasn’t all.
“Good. As planned, we’ll launch a full-scale attack tonight when the fog is thick.”
How could humans predict that fog would come tonight?
There is magic to manipulate the weather, but it’s an 8-circle altar magic. Moreover, weather manipulation magic is taboo, and using it would attract attacks from the magic towers.
The secret lay in the Second Prince’s support.
The allied families serve the Second Prince. And the Second Prince provided them with some support to ensure their victory over Sephira.
First, high-quality Amantiir weapons—
And then, shamans.
In the world, shamanism is considered inferior to magic. The casting time is ridiculously long, and the casting conditions are苛刻.
But in certain aspects, it surpasses magic. One of them is weather manipulation.
The strengths and weaknesses of archery are the same. It’s a long-range attack. Without visibility, you can’t shoot, and the closer the distance, the more archery’s stability drops.
Supreme Commander Daul, who received shamans’ support from Second Prince Rakan, understood this and ordered two things from them.
“A wide defensive shield to block arrows. And fog to obscure their vision.”
The shamans supported by the prince said it was possible but required sacrifices and time.
“We’ll provide everything. But prepare it within four days.”
To dig the tunnels and give the shamans time to prepare the defensive wall and fog, Daul deliberately set up camp near Sephira’s border.
He gave off the impression of preparing for a prolonged war, misleading Sephira and buying time.
But his true intention was a short-term all-out war.
‘We can’t give Sephira time to prepare.’
He didn’t think Sephira could defeat Baydant. No matter how strong the newcomer Keter was, Baydant was a family backed by a prince.
Yet, Baydant was utterly defeated. Without even dealing significant damage to Sephira.
‘Keter’s capabilities, Sephira’s capabilities, were all beyond our imagination. Baydant must have thought the same. A massive underestimation. That’s why Baydant lost.’
But even the Kingdom Army lost to Sephira. Moreover, the Kingdom Army was commanded by General Colton, who was also Supreme Commander Daul’s teacher.
Daul didn’t think Colton would ever lose. Colton never fought battles he couldn’t win.
Yet, he lost. General Colton. And even went missing.
Daul was afraid. Of Sephira’s capabilities. That’s why, right after Keter fought Eslow, he immediately mobilized his army. Even before Second Prince Rakan ordered an attack on Sephira.
‘We can’t give Keter time to recover.’
Thus, with the minimum time to prepare being four days, today was the day of the decisive battle.
Night with limited visibility. Plus, thick fog. All unfavorable conditions for archers. Moreover, with the troops hidden in the tunnels, it was a perfect plan to completely nullify archery’s advantages.
Yet, Daul was still uneasy, so he looked at one person.
His son, Rajis Garcia.
Though ugly, his genius and effort were unparalleled in the Garcia family.
“Rajis. You’ve fought Keter numerous times.”
“…Yes.”
“Can you defeat him?”
Rumors spread that Keter had fought Eslow and survived. This meant Keter was at least a 7-star.
Moreover, Rajis had previously fought Keter and lost. Even in a joint attack.
Daul knew this too. Yet, he asked because Rajis had gained enlightenment.
He had become a 7-star Prime. At an age astonishingly young even in the Garcia family’s history and the Lilian Kingdom’s history.
But Rajis slowly shook his head.
“I don’t have the confidence to win.”
At Rajis’s words, Daul was slightly disappointed, and others also showed regret.
But Rajis’s words weren’t finished.
“However, I can hold him back.”
“Hmm!”
Daul seemed satisfied with just that, smiling contentedly. Because Rajis wasn’t the only Prime.
Excluding Rajis, there were still at least three more Primes. No matter how great Keter was, could he handle the authority of four alone?
Moreover, all this was under the assumption that Keter was in perfect condition.
‘Even if he survived fighting a lord, he must have suffered fatal injuries.’
No matter how much he used Elixir, he would need at least a week to recover.
The possibility of Keter joining the battle was low, but even if he did, they were confident. That was the allied families’ thinking.
“One last question. If you have anything to say, say it now.”
Daul looked around at everyone and asked.
No one raised their hand. They had already discussed it numerous times. Repeating the same points two or three times, confirming and reconfirming.
A moment of silence. Then Daul stood up, slamming the table.
“Feed the soldiers and knights well. Tonight, we’ll conquer the south.”
Second Prince Rakan had promised the allied families. If they dealt with Sephira, he would give them all the southern territory.
The heat of battle. And the enormous reward. An unavoidable, inevitable war. Their resolve was firm, and their desire for victory was overwhelming.
Daul left the tent first. Others followed one by one to attend to their tasks.
But Rajis remained seated, lost in thought. A strategist approached and sat beside him.
“Lord Rajis. Is something troubling you?”
The Decapitation Squad was a new knight order Daul created for Rajis, consisting of four 5-star Masters under Rajis’s command. With thirty 4-star knights, it was a special forces unit created for this war.
Rajis looked at the strategist sitting beside him. The only female and young strategist. And a woman who showed particular interest in Rajis.
Unlike others, since it was her, Rajis spoke.
“I’m uneasy.”
“Afraid we might lose?”
“Both. I feel like even if we win, it won’t be good.”
The strategist glanced around cautiously. Confirming they were alone, she spoke carefully.
“I also feel our kingdom is in peril. But going against the princes’ wishes now isn’t good. Everyone thinks the same.”
“It’s not that. Something worse, something bad is going to happen.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m frustrated. I don’t know what’s making me feel this way.”
“Hmm… Then…”
Squeeze.
The strategist boldly took Rajis’s hand.
Rajis was startled. It was the first time a woman had taken the initiative to hold his hand. Moreover, her touch was filled with affection.
Her cheeks red, she said,
“Let’s go out and talk…”
Thud.
Something fell from the sky, piercing her head and jaw.
Rajis, without even time to register her death, instinctively swung his sword above his head.
Clang clang clang clang clang!
His wrist tingled.
Immediately, Rajis checked what he had blocked and his eyes widened.